An Appeal to Unity of Mind (Philippians 2:1–2)

A) The Apostle draws and attracts the Philippians toward harmony of soul (Phil. 2:1–2)

Phil. 2:1–2. If then there is any consolation in Christ Jesus, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfil my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

The holy Apostle does not gather abstract motives for harmony of soul and unity of mind—he takes the Philippians straight by the heart and leads them toward it. The turn of speech the Apostle employs here is the same as people ordinarily use when they say, for instance: if you love me, or if you remember my benefit to you, then do such and such for me. In the Apostle, however, everything is extraordinary: extraordinary is what he places under this ‘if,’ and extraordinary is what he desires—for he takes their tender feelings toward him and uses them to persuade them of what is so salvific for their own sake.

The subjects through which the holy Paul reaches the hearts of the Philippians have not been gathered by chance. Yet not all explain their meaning and appropriateness here in the same way. It seems that the holy Paul takes the bonds that unite Christians and, applying them to the Philippians and to himself, obliges them to heed him and to fulfil what he desires of them. He begins from afar. All Christians are united with one another in the Lord; and though they may never have met personally, one only need say that such a Christian is in need of consolation, and every Christian is ready—feels the prompting—to help him as he can. The Apostle says as it were: let us suppose that you and I do not know one another, but are only united in the Lord, and I am a person in need while you are in a position to assist me. I turn to you as Christians; I have need of consolation—console me for the Lord’s sake. If you acknowledge the obligation to console a Christian who is in need of it, if such consolation exists and you belong to the circle of those among whom it is active—then obtain it for me.

If Christians, beyond their fellowship in the Lord, have also entered into mutual relations and shared active love with one another, they naturally find refreshment both in mutual communion and in mutual assistance. The Apostle takes this case secondly and says: if you have tasted the refreshment of active Christian love and know how much blessedness it bestows on both parties, I beseech you by this very refreshment—grant it to me.

The fellowship of love may touch only the external sides of life. But there is a fellowship in the spirit—spiritual, higher, and deeper. Such, for example, is the fellowship between a disciple and a teacher, and still more, the fellowship between a proclaimer of the Gospel and believers. The spirit of the proclaimer is communicated to all and unites all within itself. Here there arises a spiritual kinship—indissoluble. This fellowship is taken by the holy Paul thirdly, and he says as it were: are you acquainted with spiritual fellowship? Do you know how closely it binds those who enter into it? By this fellowship I beseech you—give me joy.

The final form of fellowship is “affection and mercy.” Here the holy Paul, leaving that ladder of fellowship among Christians, turns to the natural feeling of compassion, saying as it were: if you have any heart. Or else he ascends higher along that same ladder and has specifically in mind the mercies and kindnesses which the Philippians had shown him up to this time. By these they had demonstrated that they were ready to share everything with the Apostle. And he says to them as it were: by this your tender-heartedness, by this your readiness to do everything for me, I beg you to gladden me. The latter interpretation is more fitting.

Since this passage is somewhat difficult, let us bring in paraphrases of it from the holy Fathers, for its further clarification. Holy Chrysostom says: “see how the blessed Apostle implores the Philippians regarding what is beneficial for them. See how eloquently, how persuasively, with what deep feeling he speaks: ‘if then there is any consolation in Christ’—that is, if you have any consolation in Christ. As if to say: if you attend to me at all, if you love me, if you have ever received any benefit from me, then do such and such. — We employ this manner of speech more often with an appeal to natural feeling. For instance, a father would say to his son: if you have any respect for your father, then do this and that. But Paul speaks differently. He makes mention of nothing natural, but all of things spiritual. The sense of his words is this: if you wish to give me any refreshment in my trials and encouragement in Christ, any fellowship in the spirit, if you have any mercy and tenderness of heart—then fulfil my joy. Or again: if I, he says, am able to receive some refreshment from your love, if I may have fellowship with you in the spirit and fellowship with you in the Lord, if I may hope for mercy and compassion from you—then repay all this with love. All this I receive, if you love one another.”

Holy St John of Damascus writes: “wishing to draw them toward harmony of soul, he binds them as though with an oath, saying: I adjure you by that consolation with which Christ has consoled us, I adjure you by the love and fellowship of the Spirit, by the mercies and compassion of God—fulfil my joy, that is, be of one mind.”

These are the words of Oecumenius: “if you wish to give me consolation in my trials, or any refreshment, moved by love; if you have fellowship with me in the Holy Spirit and if there is in you any measure of mercy and kindness—fulfil my joy, love one another; as if to say: if you are to repay me for my labors on your behalf, repay me thus—be of one accord and one mind.”

However the terms used here may be understood, it is clear that the holy Apostle presents subjects dear to the Philippians themselves and makes clear that they would wrong them if they failed to do what he enjoins on them. At the same time it is evident that if they do for him what he points to—if they fulfil his exhortation—they will give him both consolation in the Lord, and the refreshment of love, and show forth spiritual fellowship with mercies and kindnesses. — The Apostle’s words are paternally moving.

“Fulfil my joy.” Notice: lest it appear that he exhorts them as though they were failing in their duty—he does not say ‘do this for me,’ but “fulfil” (complete): that is, you have already begun to comfort me (by your progress in faith), you have already set my heart at rest, but I desire to reach the end. What is it that you desire? Tell me. That they rescue you from dangers, that they provide you with something? Nothing of the sort, he says, but “that you be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” O, how often he repeats the same thing, out of great affection! “That you be like-minded,” he says—that you think one and the same thing. For this he also explains further with the word “of one mind,” which is stronger than “that you be like-minded. — Having the same love”—that is, be united not only in faith but in everything else as well. For it is possible to think the same thing and not to have love. “The same love”—he means the love with which others love them: love as much as you are loved. When you enjoy great love from others, yourself also show no less to others, so that in this too you may not be self-serving. Let some allow this, but do not you. “Of one accord,” he says—that is, let there be one soul in all bodies, not in essence, for that is impossible, but in will and thought. Let everything proceed as if from one soul. And “of one mind”—means: let there be one thought in all, as in one soul (holy Chrysostom).

The holy Paul desires of them perfect mutual unity—unity of mind, unity of soul, the same bond of love. Since he prefaced this with such a moving and persuasive turn of speech, one must suppose that there was a pressing need for such instruction. Most probably, in some respect disagreement had crept in among them and there were persons who were violating the law of peace and love. Blessed Theodoret holds this view. The Apostle does not touch on what exactly this consisted in; rather, he hastens to remove the causes that ordinarily produce division among people, and thereby to lay a firm foundation for the brotherly bond of love among them.